Gravity meter



F. G. BOUCHER GRAVITY METER Sept. 16, 1952 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed March 15, 1947 Fra 0.14- G. boucher Gaverzbor Clbborneg Sept. 16, 1952 BOUCHER 2,610,507

GRAVITY METER Filed March 15, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 FIG, --2

Frank G. bouc'her saverrbor' 5 fluuoraer thereto. g

2,610,507 GRAVITY I f Frank "Boucher; Tulsa; Standard oil' Development ration of Delaware .The present invention is directedtoe gravity" meter a 'I'Ihe principal object of;thepresent'invention is 'fthe, provision of a gravity fmeter which can be used for surveying ov'e'r much'longer dis' 5 'tances with reference to a single base station than has been heretofore possible. f

l; An additional object of the present invention is the provision in 'a gravity 'meterof asiinple Q device by which the range of gravity values measurable byv algravlity meterpis greatly increased, Another object of the present invention i the provision in a gravity meteroi arange increasing device. operable from the vexterior or the gravity meter, A more specific objector the present invention is the provision ina gravitymeter of a rider or a series of riders which can be manipulated fromthe exterior of agravity meter to extend the. range. of gravity values measurable by the gravitymeter.. g r ,1

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing, inwhich: Figure 1 is a schematicview in perspective of one type of gravity meter with one embodiment of the present invention adaptedthereto; and

Figure 2 is a'similar view with'a modified embodiment oi the present invention adapted .Referringto. the drawing. itflwill be observed that the. gravity responsiveasystem illustrated .therein 'is in essence that il'1ustrated in -U. 'S. Patent 2,327,697 granted August 24, 1943. For ease of description elements in the present drawing. corresponding to elements in the patent drawing are given the same numeral. Briefly, this gravity responsive system includes agravity responsive mass 13 carried by torsion springs 5 and 9. .Arranged on the opposite side of the axes of the springs from the mass i3 is a barometric compensator 15. Mounted on the center of the cross member I0 is a post 28, carrying a filament 21, which is observed through an eyepiece in the top of the meter.

Referring to Figure 1 the adaptation of the present invention to the system shown involves the provision of an L-shaped riderarm I, on the barometric compensator and extending laterally therefrom with the leg member of the L parallel to the longitudinal axis of the compensator. The leg member is provided with notches 2, of which two are shown, although any number may be employed.

1 "some were 19 the 1 meter.

14 1s., a'ss ig rior, to Companyga corp o Y Suitably supported by the frame or the meter is' a sliding carriage 3, havingon one of its edges j a rack 4, with which is meshed apinionfijoperated by a hand wheel I, fixed to' the shaft 8 of the pinion which extends through tl'ieitopdi'of On the carriage 3 is mountedan upright 12, at the top'of which is pivoted ridersupport arm 14. A spring .IB normally forces the armlfl upwardly away fromthe carriage. On the upper "face'of 'therider support arm near itsfree' end is'a groove I'L'in which rests; a rider [8, encircling the leg Oi'the-L-shaped riderarm l'. A threaded'rodlfi, carrying at its outer end an operating hand wheel 20,"'extends' downwardly through the top llfof the meter with its free end resting on the upper surface of the arm 14. By suitably manipulating the hand wheel 20, the rider --'l8c an-be dropped into one of the notches Z on the leg of the'L -shapedri'der arm I Bysuitably nia- -nipulating the hand wheel '1, thefnotcwihto vvhir'zhv the rider is droppedjmay be selected; It

'wi'll be understood that thefha'nd wheel 'ljwill 25' be suitablygraduated and correlated'withajreierence point on the cover I I, so that the'operator can 'tell from the exterior with what notch2, the groove H," on

the rider'support arm l4; is 'in alignment x I When themeter is being carried, .as in anairplane, over an' area of increasinggravity and the normalQl-imit OijmOvement of the mass 1.3. is

approached the rider may. be drop ed into a. se-

lect'ed notch'2, to thereby move the mass ISjupwardly' away from theflimit'fof its'mov'emeht. fThe valuefoi the rider; taking into ';account;l its moment of force, in gravity" units; is then added to subsequent gravity measurements. When the adjusted limit of movement of the mass I3 is again approached, the rider may be moved to an outer notch and again the gravity readings suitably corrected.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 2 instead of employing a sliding carriage, there are employed a plurality of rider support arms 2|, each carried by a threaded rod 22 extending upwardly through the top ll of the meter and operated by a hand wheel 23. Known means are provided to prevent rotation of each rider support arm with the rod on which it is mounted, so that rotation of the latter causes vertical movement of the arm. Each rider support arm is provided with a groove 25 disposed immediately below the leg .of the L-shaped rider arm in alignment with one 4 groove adapted to receive a ring shaped rider and to support said rider in a vertical position, at least one ring shaped rider generally encircling said rider arm and receivable by a rider support arm groove and by a notch on said rider arm, a casing enclosing the entire system, and m means Japera-blesfrom the/exterior ofesa-id casing 'ifto'movea selected rid'en support arm downwardly to deposit a rider carried by said support arm into the rider system is arranged on the same sideuma notch on said rider arm and upwardly to lift of the pivot point as the gravity responsive mass. In a complete meter, for the fullest possiblerar'ige of operation, there will be a rider systexnarranged on either side of thepivot point.

It will be understood that the present invention is applicable to any type of meter employing a moving system with a gravity-responsive mass. In the embodiment shown the rider rack .is =a;ttached to the barometric compensator because this.is -a-convenientiioint of attachment. If Ftli're were no barometric compensator thei "rider ""Wlild be'arr'angedto ri'de orithe'sam'rod' which carries the barometric compensator which fdesi'gnated I by numeral; 2 4 in the-drawing.

'I'he'ha'tum an "obj'e'c'tsbf the" 'p'res'ent mventionhaving been thus described-andillustrated, what is claimed "as "useful. and "is desired. to be secured by Letters 'Paten'tiisz 1.A gravitrmeter"cdmprising' movi giisys- "tm" sponsive "to" grav ty; "including- Tpivotal "iaiisE a rider'a'rm atta'cliefito I a 'selefct'edv portion f-d'f said .m'oying system'and "provided with ataleast one notch spacedildngitii'dinally from 's'aidpivotal at ""least one rider suppo'rc arm pivotally pp ted-adjacentsaid-rider arm "and provided witlf aflgfrbdve adapfed "to receive. a" ringfshaped "rider,anatosii portsaidirrder in a vertical posil' than, "at leafst' one fing'i shaped "rider '1 generally irclin'gisaid rider armandre ivamaby' arider support"arm'groovand'by a: notch on'sa'idT rider ,af'm, "at"least "one spring means normally urging "La rider pportar 'iupwardly toward said "rider singfencl'osing' 'th'enursystem," and operablefifdmfthe exterior offisaid casing.

"selected rider support arm'i-downpositibnto' isaid-.isbring-.fiieans'. siifii- "ciently to"deposit a rider carried by'asa'id'its'iippprt arm into a notch on said-rideriafrm.

' zr'arantyme er comprising anioving'system said rider out of said notch.

-'-3;- Gravity meter according to claim 2 in which said rider armsisv provided with a plurality of notchesrzspacedJongitudinally from said pivotal wis -and whichf meludes a plurality of rider sup- .port arms each supported adjacent said rider arm vvith -its" *rider receiving groove in substantial alignment with one of said notches on said rider arm and a plurality of ring shaped riders generallyencircling said rider arm.

' 4. A "gravity meter 'com'p'rising sfmoVihgisystem responsive to .gravity, including. a 'pivotal axis; a; 'rider' arm attached to aselected portion of saidmoving'fsystem"and provided with afplw 5 ranty'or notches-spaced longitudinally from said p'ivotal axis, a sli-dable carriage""arrangew'adjacent said moving"'s'ys'tem," a' rider "support arm pivotally attached'to saidcarriage adjacent said "rider arm, and' pro'videdwith a *"groove adapted "tore'cei've 'a'ring shapedrider and-"t0 support said "'ri'der a vertical position; a'Tlng shaped rider generally encircling said rider arm and receivable '-by saidnOtches 'and'iaysaid groove', -spring=means "normally urging said ritler' 'support arm upwardly *away'rrom -said carriage: a" cas'ing enclosingithe entire system, means operable from-"the exterior of said cas ing' td move' s'aid ca r-iage so -asr to position said 'er sup' ort =-a'rm adjacent a se'lected notcli'on saidriderarm; nd-means oper- 4o ablfrdm 'th' e'xt'erioriof said casmg -to move-said '-'=1'" ider suppdrt arm downwardly- 111: opposition to said spring means sufiiciently tos- 'depbsit saiid nider 'in a; selectedifgroove on said rider arm.

V :JZFRANIQGiBOUCI-IER.

REFERENCES CITED I The following references are of record-" in' the {file prams patent: I

Number Name- Date 2,081,252 Seederer May.25','-;1937 

